Outboard motor mounting arrangement for small fishing boats



A ril 12, 1966 OUTBOARD MOTOR MOUNTING ARRANGEMENT FOR SMALL FISHING BOATS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 11, 1963 INVENTOR.

THOMAS J. 1888 ATTORNEY April 12, 1966 OUTBOARD MOTOR MOUNTING ARRANGEMENT FOR SMALL FISHING BOATS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed D60. 11, 1963 INVENTOR.

THOMAS d. 1885 ATTORNEY motor to compensate for the wind action.

United States Patent 3,245,640 OUTBOARD MOTOR MOUNTING ARRANGE- MENT FOR SMALL FISHING BOATS Thomas J. Ibbs, 5322 Barnes Drive, Louisville, Ky. Filed Dec. 11, 1963, Ser. No. 331,083 Claims. (Cl. 248-4) This is a continuation-in-part of my now abandoned application S. N. 126,250 filed July 24, 1961.

More particularly, this invention relates to mounting means for auxiliary electric outboard motor drive units of the pipe-carried submergible type commonly used by fishermen to propel a small boat at very slow speeds during certain types of fishing operations.

Auxiliary electric outboard motor drive units of the pipe-carried submergible type conventionally comprise: an electric outboard motor of the submergible type composed of a propeller mounted on the projecting end of the drive shaft of an electric motor, which is enclosed within a water-tight shell; and a vertically-elongate pipe having its lower end tightly connected to the top of the water-tight shell, its upper end provided with a steering handle, and its intermediate portion engaged by the mounting means. This type of auxiliary drive unit usually is mounted at the rear or stem of the boat where the submerged electric motor operates as a push motor. Since a relatively large gasoline-powered outboard motor is normally mounted on the stern of the boat at its center, the small electrical push motor must normally be offset from center.

The use of a small push motor at the rear of the boat makes it relatively unstable and difiicult to handle. For example, the slow speed of the boat renders its front end or how relatively sensitive to wind which frequently swings it one way or the other. When this occurs, the boat operator must adjust the steering direction of the push In some cases, these adjustments must be made at annoyingly frequent intervals. In other cases, they are ineifective because the low power of the push motor often renders it powerless to overcome the action of the wind on the bow of the boat. In addition, the offset mounting of the push motor causes it to exert a torque, which constantly tends to turn the boat. To counteract this'torque, the operator must set the push motor on a course other than the desired course of the boat. a

The foregoing objections may be avoided or overcome by mounting the submerged motor in a centered position at the front end of the boat. With ths arrangement, the auxiliary drive is operative to pull (rather than push) the hoat through the water. This renders the boat less sensitive to wind, eliminates the offset torque which causes the boat to turn off course, and enables the auxiliary drive to be fixed on the desired course of the boat. Furthermore, mounting the auxiliary drive on the front end of the boat eliminates any possibility of any interference between it and the main drive motor at the rear end of the boat.

It is customary to have the vertically-elongate pipe carry the electrical wiring for the motor and to move it angularly about its long vertical axis for boat steering purposes. It is also desirable to mount this type of auxiliary drive unit on the boat for movement between submerged and unsubmerged positions Without requiring its mounting means to be physically disconnected from the boat hull. It is to these ends the present invention is directed.

The principal objects of the invention are: to simplify the structure; to provide a simply, inexpensively and sturdily constructed means for mounting the unit upon the boat for movement between a submerged operative position and an unsubmerged storage position; and to 3,245,649 Patented Apr. 12, 1966 provide a simple compact form of mounting means, which can be easily and quickly installed and operated, which requires little maintenance, which can be readily removed, which is lightweight and which permits the depth of su'bmergence to be varied within limits.

All of the objects of my invention can be achieved by means for mounting a propulsion motor on a fishing boat for movement between a boat propulsion position wherein the propulsion motor is submerged in the water to a motor storage position wherein it is held out of the water, which means, described specifically, comprises: (A) an elongate pipe, one end of which is adapted to carry the propulsion motor; (B) an open-ended sleeve (1) having a transverse horizontal-axis pivot, and (2) being adapted to embrace said elongate pipe slidably to accommodate the endwise extension and retraction movement thereof from one retracted position (wherein the motorized end of the pipe is adjacent the corresponding or motor end of the sleeve) to another extended position (wherein the opposite or steering and of the pipe is adjacent the other or steering" end of the sleeve); (C) a. boat bracket including (1) a transverse horizontal-axis pivot and (2) a horizontal stationary body (a) having an inner end and an outer end portion which provides a seat, and (b) being adapted for securement to a boat with said seat positioned along an outer edge of the boat to underlie (and preferably receive and support) said propulsion motor in its storage position; and (D) linkage means extending between and pivotally interconnecting said sleeve and boatbracket horizontal-axis pivots in spaced relationship to mount said sleeve upon the boat for movement (1) from an outer vertical position wherein said sleeve is vertically suspended from its horizontal-axis pivot with its motor end opening downward 2) to an inner horizontal position wherein said sleeve extends horizontally along the upper side of the inner end portion of said horizontal body with its motor end adjacent the inner end of the motor storage seat.

A mounting arrangement of this specific character can be easily and simply constructed in a manner which achieves all objects. When the parts are properly installed, the pipe may be readily retracted vertically and swung inwardly about the boat-bracket pivot so to swing the motor upwardly and inwardly around the peripheral edge of the boat and the outer end of the boat-bracket and position that motor over the boat-bracket seat.

An embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a small boat having a large gasoline-powered outboard motor mounted on its rear end and a small battery-powered auxiliary outboard motor mounted on its front end in accordance with the preferred form of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of the front end of the boat of FIG. 1 and showing the auxiliary outboard motor mounting arrangement of this invention fastened to the bow of the boat with the motorcarrying pipe in its raised position;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of the outboard motor mounting arrangement shown in FIG. 2, this view corresponding to one taken along a vertical plane passing through the longitudinal center of the boat;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary longitudinal vertical section similar to FIG. 3 but showing the motor-carrying pipe arranged in its horizontal storage position with the auxil iary propulsion drive unit resting on the boat-bracket; and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary section similar to FIGS. 3 and 4 but showing the motor-carrying pipe arranged intermediate its FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 positions.

Many fishermen conduct their fishing operations in a small boat 1 of the type shown in FIG. 1. Normally,

the boat 1 carries a large gasoline-powered outboard motor 2 mounted on its stern for use in propelling the boat at relatively rapid speeds when traveling to and from likely fishing spots or areas.

The auxiliary-motor mounting arrangement of this in'-' vention preferably is used on the front end of the boat, as shown in FIG. 1. The embodiment of my invention which is illustrated in FIGS. 2-5 includes five elements, viz: (1) an auxiliary electric-motor-drive unit of the pipe-carried submergible type; (2) a boat-bracket on the boat; (3) a sleeve on the pipe; (4) a linkage connecting the sleeve to the bracket; and (5) sleeve latch means.

Auxiliary drive unit Boat-bracket The boat-bracket shown in the drawing comprises a body having a horizontal leg 11 and preferably a vertical leg 12 dependingfrom the front end of the horizontal leg 11. The horizontal leg 11 is transversely U-shaped in vertical cross section and includes a horizontal web or bight, also designated 11, and a pair of-int'egral vertical side flanges 13 extending upwardly from the longitudinal edges of the horizontal web 11. The bracket 10 is mounted on the boat 1 with its horizontal leg 11 resting on the top edge of the boat adjacent its bow 14. It is fastened to the boat by bolts 15 extending through the web 1-1 and the top wall 16 of the boat, as shown in FIGS. 3 to 5 of the drawings. The outer. end portion of the boat-bracket it provides a seat which underlies the propulsion motor 4 in its storage position and which preferably receives and supports motor 4 therein as seen in FIG. 4.

Sleeve The. sleeve 20 is open at its opposite 1st and 2nd ends, which correspond to the motorized and steering ends of the pipe 6. This openended sleeve 20 slidably embraces the elongate pipe 6 and is provided with a means for clamping the sleeve 20 tightly on the pipe. 6. This clamping means is provided by splitting or bifurcating the front side of the sleeve 20, mounting or forming a pair of integral clamping ears 22 on the sleeve 20 to extend radially outward from it on the opposite sides of the bifurcation and threading a clamping screw 23 through the cars 22 for drawing the ears together. With the clamping screw 23 turned to release its pinching force on the ears 22, the elongate pipe 6 may be readily turned about its long axis or slidably moved lengthwise in the sleeve 20. The pipe 6 can be readily locked in any desired position in the sleeve by turning the clamping screw 23 to pinch the clamping ears 22 together sufliciently tight to clamp the sleeve 20 on the pipe 6.

With the sleeve 20 and the elongate pipe 6 in their vertical positions, the elongate pipe 6 may be slid endwise back and forth vertically between a lowered or pipeextended position wherein the steering end of the pipe is adjacent the 2nd end of the sleeve and the propulsionunit 4. is lowered into the water, as shown in FIG. 1, and an elevated raised or pipe-retracted position wherein the motorized end of the pipe 6 is adjacent the 1st end of the sleeve and the propulsion unit 4 is raised above the water as shown inFIG. 2.

Linkage It is not only desirable to mount the sleeve 20 upon the boat-bracket for movement between one (vertical pipe extended) position wherein the motor is operatively submerged and another position wherein it is pulled or raised out of the water but, in accordance with a particular feature of the present invention, I propose to mount the sleeve for movement from said vertical pipeextended position to another (horizontal pipe-retracted) position corresponding to a motor storage position wherein the motor overlies or overhangs the outer edge of the boat. This could be accomplished by connecting the sleeve pivotally to a linkage which is mounted on the horizontal boat-bracket for horizontal slidable movement bodily between an outer position, wherein the sleeve is vertically suspended over the water with its 1st end positioned below said seat and its 2nd end upperniost, and an inner position, wherein the sleeve extends horizontally over the boat adjacent the inner endjof' the boat-bracket seat with its lstend positioned on the innerside of said seat and'its 2nd end innermost.

Preferably it is accomplished by a linkage which pivotally interconnects boththe sleeve 20 and the stationary boat-bracket 1'9 in spaced relationship. This linkage includes a pair of transversely spaced parallel links 25 extending between and pivoted to both the sleeve 20 and the horizontal leg 11 of' the boat-bracket 10 so as to form one jackknife hinge-joint at one end with the sleeve and another at its other endwith the bracket. The links 25 are pivoted to the horizontal leg 11 at a point intermediate its front and rear (or outermost and innermost) ends by a horizontal pivot pin.2 6 which extends transversely through and between the side flanges 13 of the horizontal leg 11. The pair of links 25 lie on the inside of the side flanges 13 with each link arranged adjacent to one of the side flanges. A spacing ferrule 27 fits over the pivot pin 26 between the pair .of links 25' to hold these links transversely spaced apart. The other ends of the pair of'links 25 are pivoted to the sleeve20 by a pivot pin 28 which extends betweenv the spaced links and through an enlarged boss 29 integrally formed on the inner, rear or boat side of the sleeve Ztlat its 2nd end.

As seenin FIGS. 2; to 5', the foregoing linkage enables the sleeve. 20 and the elongate pipe 6 to be moved between the. elevated raised position shown in FIG. 2 (wherein the elongate pipe 6 is retracted vertically upward to hold the propulsion'unit 4 in an above-water position near the 1st end of the sleeve) and the elevated storage position shown in FIG. 4 (wherein the elongate pipe '6 projects horizontally inward from the 2nd or steering end of the sleeve 20) while the propulsion unit 4 overlies and preferably restsupon the forward portion or seat of the body-bracket 10. During this movement, the sleeve 20 moves upwardly past the outer side (of the seat) andinwardly' over and past the top side of the seat, which receives and holds themot'or in its storage position. Also the jackknife hinge-joint elements at the sleeve end of the links 25- move from their outer positions at the inner side or" the" motor seat to their inner storage positions over a horizontal distance not less than the minimum horizontal movement required by a pipe-retracting motor to clear the outer end of the bracket 10 and move to said seat.

In both the raised (FIG. 2) and lowered (FIG. 1) positions of the auxiliary outboard motor 4, the links 25 extend horizontally forward or outward from the pivot pin 26 of their jackknife hinge-joints at their inner ends with thebracket' ltl'while' the' sleeve 2% depends vertically at the outer end of the bracket 10 from the pivot pin 28 of the sleeve's jackknife hinge-joint with the adjacent outer ends of the links 25. In the storage (FIG. 4) position; of the. auxiliary outboard motor, the links extend inwardly from the boat-bracket pivot pin 26' while the sleeve extends horizontally. over the: inner end portion of the horizontal leg. 11 of the bracket 10 with its 1st end on the inner side of the seat and its 2nd end innermost. Hence, during the movement of the auxiliary outboard motor 4 between its raised (FIG. 2) and storage (FIG. 4) positions, the sleeve swings from its vertical position upwardly across the front end of the boat-bracket 10 and inwardly over the bracket 10 to its horizontal position over the inner end portion of the boat-bracket 10.

The side flanges 13 of the horizontal leg 11 are horizontally extended outwardly at their outer ends beyond the vertical leg 13 of the body-bracket 10 to provide seat extensions which the propulsion unit 4 overlies (and preferably rests on) in the elevated storage position of the outboard motor. In this storage position, the weight of the outboard motor is supported against any tendency to swing downwardly; hence, the outboard motor will remain in its storage position until it is deliberately moved to its raised position. The clamping screw 23 may be manipulated to clamp and lock the sleeve 20 on the elongate pipe 6 in the storage position of the outboard motor.

Means is provided for properly guiding the sleeve 29 when moving the outboard motor from its storage toits raised position. This guide means takes the form of an integral lug 32 extending inwardly from the motor end portion of the sleeve 20 and a forwardly declining ramp or cam 33 integrally formed on top of the Web of the horizontal bracket leg 11 near its outer end. In moving the propulsion unit 4 outwardly from its storage position, the propulsion unit 4 will ultimately clear the outer ends of the side flange extensions 30. Thereupon, the lug 32 will engage the ramp 33 and be guided thereby until the sleeve 20 and elongate pipe 6 are in or very near to their vertical positions.

Latch means In both the lowered and raised positions of the outboard motor, the sleeve 20 extends vertically along the outer side of the vertical leg of the bracket 10 with the integral lug 32 extending inwardly from the lower boat side of the sleeve 20. The lug 32 of the sleeve 26 is adapted to overlie and rest on an integral ledge 35 formed on the lower end of the vertical leg 12 while the outer edge or nose of the ledge 35 abuts the sleeve 25 and thereby determines the vertical position of the elongate pipe 6 and locates it therein, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.

Means is provided to latch the sleeve 20 to the bodybracket 10 when the elongate pipe reaches its vertical position. In the embodiment shown in the drawings, this latch means takes the form of a vertical latch pin 36 slidably mounted (on the boat side of the sleeve 29) upon the boss 29 and the lug 32, and adapted to move downwardly into a latch hole 37 formed in the ledge 35. A spring 38 is provided to bias the latch pin 36 downwardly to latching position and the upper end of the latch pin 36 is provided with an angularly extending finger 39 for lifting the latch pin to release it when moving the outboard motor to its inoperative position. The sleeve 20 has a notched tongue 40 extending upwardly from its upper end, as shown in FIG. 2, for supporting the latch pin 36 in unlatched position.

Operation We shall assume that the auxiliary drive unit is in its FIG. 4 position wherein: the motor 4 overlies the front end portion or seat of the body-bracket 10; the sleeve overlies the rear end portion of the body bracket 10 and extends horizontally along the upper side of that portion; the sleeve pivot 28 is spaced horizontally inward from the boat-bracket pivot 26; and clamp 22 of the sleeve is in its pipe 6 clamping position.

With these assumptions, we now also assume that the use of the auxiliary is desired; hence, pipe 6 is raised and the associated assembly swung toward the outer end of the body-bracket 10 so that the links 25 move approximately 180 passing through the position shown in FIG. 5 and coming to rest in the position shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. In this latter position, the latch means will be manipulated to latch the lower end of the sleeve to the lower end of the vertical leg of the boat-bracket 10. Clamp screw 23 is now loosened to cause the sleeve to release the pipe 6 and permit the motor 4 to be lowered to a desired degree of submergence. At this point, the clamp may be partially tightened and the steering handle 7 manipulated to set the motor 4 on the course desired. After that, the final tightening of the screw 23 takes place. If desired, a collar, encircling pipe 6 and res-ting upon the upper end of the sleeve 20, may be provided with a set screw to hold the propulsion motor at any desired level of submergence While the clamp 22 may 'be tightened sutficiently to hold the motor 4 to a given course and yet permit the course to be changed at the will of the operator through the manual manipulation of the steering handle 7.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. Means for mounting an auxiliary electric outboard motor drive unit of the pipe-carried submergible type on a fishing boat for movement between a boa-t propulsion position wherein the motor is submerged in the water to a motor storage position wherein it is held out of the water, comprising:

(A) an open-ended sleeve for slidably embracing a motor-carrying pipe to accommodate the endwise extension and retraction movement thereof,

(1) said sleeve having 1st and 2nd ends;

(8) a boat bracket including (1) a horizontal leg having inner and outer end portions,

(a) the top side of said outer end portion providing a seat for receiving and supporting a motor in its storage position, said scat having an outer side on the outer end side of said horizontal leg, and

(2) a vertical leg having an outer side and an inner or boat side, said leg extending downwardly below said seat; and

(C) linkage means mounting said sleeve on said horizontal leg (1) for movement upwardly past the outer side and inwardly past the top side of said seat (a) from an outer vertical propulsion position along the front side of said vertical leg with its 1st end positioned below said seat and its 2nd end uppermost,

(b) to an inner horizontal storage position along the top side of said vertical leg with its 1st end positioned on the inner side of said seat and its 2nd end innermost,

(2) said linkage means including a link having means for movably connecting it to both said sleeve and said bracket.

2. The mounting means of claim I wherein:

(A) said boat-bracket and said sleeve, each include a transverse horizontal-axis pivot; and

(B) said linkage means (a) extends between said boat-bracket and sleeve pivots and (b) pivotally interconnects said pivots in spaced relationship.

3. The mounting means of claim 1 wherein:

(A) said boat bracket carries a transverse horizontalaxis pivot at a fixed location spaced inwardly from both of its ends;

(B) said sleeve carries a transverse horizontal-axis pivot on its inner or boat side near its 2nd end; and

(C) said movable link extends (l) horizontally outward from said fixed boatbracket pivot to said sleeve pivot when the sleeve is in its outer vertical position, and

(2) horizontally inward from said boat-bracket pivot to said sleeve pivot when the sleeve is in its inner horizontal storage position.

4. The mounting means of claim 1 wherein:

(A) said sleeve, in its vertical position, rests against the outer side of the vertical leg of said boat-bracket.

5. The structure of claim 1 wherein:

(A) said vertical leg has an outwardly projecting horizontal ledge at its lower end adapted to abut said vertically positioned sleeve.

6. The structure of claim 5 wherein:

(A) said vertically-positioned sleeve has a horizontal leg adapted to overlie and rest on said horizontal ledge.

7. The structure of claim 6 including:

(A) a spring-biased pin slidably mounted in said sleeve lug and adapted to enter a cooperating hole in said horizontal ledge to latch said vertically-positioned sleeve in said vertical leg.

8. The structure of claim 7 including:

(A) an outwardly declining cam positioned on the outer end portion of said horizontal leg of said boat bracket to abut a portion of said sleeve and guide the sleeve during its movement from its horizontal position to its vertical position.

9. The structure of claim 8 wherein:

(A) said sleeve is a split sleeve and includes means to clamp the sleeve on the pipe.

10. In an auxiliary boat drive of the type wherein an elongate pipe carries a submergible motor at one end and an open-ended sleeve embraces the pipe slidably to accommodate the endwise movement of the pipe from one pipeextended position wherein one end of the pipe is adjacent one end of the sleeve to another pipe-retracted position wherein the opposite or motor end of the pipe is adjacent the opposite end of the sleeve, an improved means for mounting the sleeve on a fishing boat to accommodate the movement of the motor between a pipe-extended motorsubnierged position and a pipe-retracted motor-storage position wherein the motor is held out of the water, comprising:

(A) a boat bracket including a stationary horizontal body having (1) an inner end portion, and (2) an outer end portion which, when the bracket is mounted,

8 (a) is adapted to overhang an outer edge of the boat, and (b) provides an upwardly-facing motor-receiving seat for holding said pipe-retracted motor in a motor-storage position; (13) a linkage for mounting a sleeve upon said bracket,

said linkage having (1) a sleeve end and an opposite end, and (2) a jackknife hinge-joint element on and integral with its sleeve end for connecting it pivotally in jackknife fashion to a sleeve; and (C) means movably mounting said linkage on said body for the inward and outward movement relative to said body of its sleeve end element between 1) an outer operative position (a) near the inner side of said seat, and (2) an inner storage position (a) spaced inwardly from its outer position a horizontal distance not less than the minimum horizontal movement required by a pipe-retracting motor to clear the outer end of said body member and move to said seat.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,905,132 9/1959 Lewis et a1. 248-4 X 3,039,723 6/1962 Seyfier 2484 FOREIGN PATENTS- 474,324 6/ 1951 Canada.

References Cited by theApplicaht v UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,213,520 9/1940 Gentry. 2,429,774 10/ 1947 Schultz et al. 2,782,744 2/1957 Staley;

CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Primary Examiner.

I. PETO, Assistant Examiner. 

1. MEANS FOR MOUNTING AN AUXILIARY ELECTRIC OUTBOARD MOTOR DRIVE UNIT OF THE PIPE-CARRIED SUBMERGIBLE TYPE ON A FISHING BOAT FOR MOVEMENT BETWEEN A BOAT PROPULSION POSITION WHEREIN THE MOTOR IS SUBMERGED IN THE WATER TO A MOTOR STORAGE POSITION WHEREIN IT IS HELD OUT OF THE WATER, COMPRISING: (A) AN OPEN-ENDED SLEEVE FOR SLIDABLE EMBRACING A MOTOR-CARRYING PIPE TO ACCOMMODATE THE ENDWISE EXTENSION AND RETRACTION MOVEMENT THEREOF, (1) SAID SLEEVE HAVING 1ST AND 2ND ENDS; (B) A BOAT BRACKET INCLUDING (1) A HORIZONTAL LEG HAVING INNER AND OUTER END PORTIONS, (A) THE TOP SIDE OF SAID OUTER END PORTION PROVIDING A SEAT FOR RECEIVING AND SUPPORTING A MOTOR IN ITS STORAGE POSITION, SAID SEAT HAVING AN OUTER SIDE ON THE OUTER END SIDE OF SAID HORIZONTAL LEG, AND (2) A VERTICAL LEG HAVING AN OUTER SIDE AND AN INNER OR BOAT SIDE, SAID LEG EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY BELOW SAID SEAT; AND (C) LINKAGE MEANS MOUNTING SAID SLEEVE ON SAID HORIZONTAL LEG (1) FOR MOVEMENT UPWARDLY PAST THE OUTER SIDE AND INWARDLY PAST THE TOP SIDE OF SAID SEAT (A) FROM AN OUTER VERTICAL PROPULSTION POSITION ALONG THE FRONT SIDE OF SAID VERTICAL LEG WITH ITS 1ST END POSITIONED BELOW SAID SEAT AND ITS 2ND END UPPERMOST, (B) TO AN INNER HORIZONTAL STORAGE POSITION ALONG THE TOP SIDE OF SAID VERTICAL LEG WITH ITS 1ST END POSITIONED ON THE INNER SIDE OF SAID SEAT AND ITS 2ND END INNERMOST, (2) SAID LINKAGE MEANS INCLUDING A LINK HAVING MEANS FOR MOVABLY CONNECTING IT TO BOTH SAID SLEEVE AND SAID BRACKET. 